Game On a Nation: Hip Hop Intellectual

This is a response to the comment within the Asher Roth entry and it is regarding white MCs in Hip Hop.

There are some people who do not prefer the sound and flow of white MC's and I do not believe that this is derived from any form of prejudice. But it has to do more with the individual valuing the Blues roots of Hip Hop, meaning that to them Hip Hop is only authentic when it is coming out of the black experience (struggle).

However just like blues regardless of that person's color if their experience is really filled with hardship then they have every right to sing the blues. The reason that Eminem can be embraced in the Hip Hop community is because he brought his experience which was not the housing projects but the trailer parks. He shared his 'experience'. On the other hand, if Eminem was disingenuous about his experience then the Hip Hop community would have rejected him coined him the new Vanilla Ice. Vanilla Ice career fell apart when it became know that he lied about being stabbed and did not grow up in the rough neighborhood that he spoke about.

Another example regarding disingenuous can be found in the recent background of Rick Ross, who use to be a Correctional Officer and there are many within the Hip Hop community who now reject Rick Ross's authenticity in regards to Hip Hop because of it.

When you are listening to Hip Hop you are listening to a story that is being played about that person's life. You are gaining insight; some artists portray it better than others. Hip Hop is like any other art form; you are paying for a certain experience. Nothing more, Nothing less.

When you listen to a Asher Roth CD for example, you are going to hear the experience of a young white boy who grew up in the suburbs and experimented with drugs. Asher is going to bring to the table the way he sees the world in its full trippy colors and there is nothing wrong with it because it is authentic.

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